The Dark Project Part 2
by Glasya
Summary: The second half of it pretty much


Chapter 8- An impossible Battle  
  
This is crazy, Duo thought, how are we going to beat a God? oh God nothing better happen to her.  
  
"Jennifer you just stay back!" Duo yelled.  
  
"Like hell I will! you two cant do this alone!" Jennifer yelled and charged at the immortal God. He simply used his energy and pushed her against a wall. Duo ran to her.  
  
"Are you okay?!" he yelled. "I told you to stay back!!"  
  
"Im fine" she said and got up with the help of Duo's shoulder.  
  
"I'll get you!" Duo yelled and started to run towards Hades. Hades swung at Duo but he ducked and uppercutted the God in the stomach. He flew back in both shock and pain. I will not be beaten by such fools! I must have been blind to have not see that move coming! that kid will pay!  
  
"You'll pay for that you little brat!" he yelled and punched Duo right in the jaw, knocking him back into an extremely bumpy wall. He hit it so hard he bounced off of it and fell face down, unconscious.  
  
"Duo!" Jennifer yelled and started to run towards her fallen lover but Hades grabbed her. He locked his left arm around her waist and the other on her head. He whispered in her ear.  
  
"It hurts doesnt it to see him like that?" He pulled her head back so that it rested against his chest. She struggled to get free but couldnt. "Why did you come here?"  
  
"You already know" she scowled.  
  
"Yes but why did you really come here? Was it for the money? or was it for the pleasure?"  
  
"I'm a thief, I steal things like that so I can sell them." She tried to break free again but he held on to her.  
  
"What makes you think you will be able to get it and leave this place alive?"  
  
"I dont know."  
  
"You are very strong but I dont think that you will make it through this one alive" he kissed her ear and threw her against the wall. "You are a very foolish girl" he said as he walked over to her. He picked her up and threw her against a statue. "You shouldnt have come here! and now you will pay the price!" Then Heero jumped in and tripped the Lord of the underworld. He fell with a thud. Heero stood over his body.  
  
"Not while I'm here" he said.  
  
Then Hades jumped up and grabbed Heero by the foot and flung him up side down. "You were saying?" Hades asked and smashed him into the wall next to him and threw him across the room. "Now where was I? Ah yes the pretty blonde." He walked up to her and grabbed her by the foot and picked her up like he did Heero. "Now do you believe this was a mistake?" he asked and smashed her into another statue, shoulder first. She screamed out in pain but had no time to do anything but that. She felt herself flying. Then it ended as she felt something pierce her leg and gut. Her vision was blurred and the only thing she could see was a dark figure walking over to her. She felt herself being lifted up again, her whole body ached. She felt something slashing from one side of her forehead to the other side then down to her jaw bone. Then all the puncture wounds seemed to begetting bigger as if someone was turning the pieces that were in her around in a circle. Her leg was dislocated from the  
thrust of being thrown in to things. But she managed to kick Hades. He dropped her.  
  
"No we are going to have more fun" he said and picked her up again. He walked over to a corner where there were chains. He chained her arms and legs up. She couldnt stand so her armsheld her up. She felt an immense pressure throbbing in her wrists from the shackles. A wetness trickled down her arms, she couldnt tell if it was blood or sweat.  
  
"This is the price you pay for trying to steal my treasures" Hades said as he walked over to the fireplace. He put something in it but she couldnt tell what it was. He walked back over to her and carressed the cheek that wasnt cut with his finger. "I bet your in alot of pain right now." She opened up her eyes enough to look at him. "Well now you will pay."  
  
"Why dont you just kill me and get it over with?" she asked in a low voice.  
  
"Because i want you to live with the memories of what has happened to you and your friends today. Every scar, every bruise will represent my power, and you will never come here again." He bent down and grabbed her chin. He looked into her half closed eyes but she shut them. He kissed her and walked back to the fireplace. he grabbed the object that he had stuck in there and walked back over to Jennifer. Her eyes widened as they focased on what he had in his hands. An iron pole with the tip glowing red orange.  
  
"I could let my demons eat you instead but I think they would rather play with you." He se down the poker and walked over to a gong. He hit it with a stick walked back to pick up the poker. There was silence for afew seconds before they heard the sound of cries coming from a hall. Afew seconds later little demons flew in.  
  
"My children this is a trespasser. I will let you play with her for alittle bit. But dont kill her or rip her body parts off, leave her whole." The demons snickered and slowly started to walk towards Jennifer with their hands out in front of them.  
  
Chapter 9- Torture  
  
Each of the demons had three inch fingernails and fangs. they looked like little vampires except they were green and had wings. They approached her and slashed at her with their claws ripping open three inch gashes. They bit off her flesh and ate it. I'll never get out of this. Duo was right, i shouldnt have never come here she thought as her body was being torn from her bones.  
  
"ENOUGH!!!" Hades yelled. The demons bowed their heads and stepped back from Jennifer's torn body. "Are you still alive?" he asked and shoved the poker into her skin. It went through her body like a needle. She screamed as loud as she could. It was deafening. The demons scattered the room and ran back down the hall from inwhich they came. "Well that answers my question." He walked over to a rack that had abunch of weapons on it.  
  
What now? Jennifer thought. He came back with a whip. It was long and had several thick, sharp wires on it. Hades set it in the fire and looked over in her direction. The fire started to spark so he pulled it out of the fire. He walked behind her. Suddenly she felt hot wires digging in to her flesh. She jumped foward but the chains held her in place. Again and again she felt the stinging pain until it stopped. Hades walked infront of her.  
  
"Your a tough one. It wouldnt be any fun to just kill you so I'll let you live." He undid the shackles and carried her over to where the Devils eye was. He took it off the stand and set it on her. By this time Heero had gotten up and had Duo up as well.  
  
"Let her go Hades!" Heero yelled and pulled out his gun. He pointed it at Hades' head.  
  
"Here" She floated out of his arms and over to Heero. He dropped his gun and caught her. She looked at him and laid her head back.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" Heero asked.  
  
"It was a test" he answered, "And she passed, She is a tough one, thats why I let her go. You mortals have gone through all my tests just for that ruby. Leave this way." Hades opened up the ceiling and the three floated up and out of the cave.  
  
They landed safely on the ground infront of the entrance. "Whoa!" Duo managed to say but then grabbed his jaw in pain.  
  
"I know what you mean Duo" Heero answered. He set Jennifer down on the ground and pulled out a cell phone and called Quatre.  
  
"Hello?" Quatre answered.  
  
"Quatre get a hellocopter and get your ass over here" Heero said.  
  
"What happened?" Quatre got really worried.  
  
"We need to get Jennifer to a hospital now."  
  
"R-Right!" Quatre hung up the phone. "Trowa! Wufei! Get in the hellocopter now!!!!" Quatre screamed.  
  
"Trowa and Wufei came into the room and looked at Quatre. Quatre grabbed both of their arms and ran to the hellocopter pad. He threw the two boys in and started the thing and took off.  
  
Back in Greece Heero sat down next to Jennifer.  
  
"Well we're going to have to wait for a while." He layed down and closed his eyes. Duo walked over to Jennifer and picked up her head and set her on his lap.  
  
In the hellocopter Trowa and Wufei were getting really annoyed that Quatre wouldnt give them an answer as to why he threw them in the hellocopter and just took off like that.  
  
"Quatre whats wrong?" Trowa asked.  
  
"They got into some trouble in that cave and they need to get Jennifer to a hospital" he finally answered.  
  
"Why? is she hurt?" Wufei asked.  
  
"Probably."  
  
"Well how bad?" Trowa asked.  
  
"I dont know, thats why we need to hurry."  
  
About 20 minutes later Heero saw a hellocopter inthe sky.  
  
"Look! there they are!" he said.  
  
Quatre landed as close as he could to them and jumped out.  
  
"Oh my God" Wufei said as he looked out the window at Jennifer. He jumped out and ran to them.  
  
"What happened?!" Quatre shrieked.  
  
"Lets not worry about that right now and lets get her to the hospital!" Wufei shouted. They lifted her up and into the chopper. Afew minutes later they were in the air and heading towards a hospital.  
  
About 10 munutes later they reached one and carried her inside.  
  
"Someone help us!" Quatre screamed. A nurse ran over to her and started to help them immediatly. She took Jennifer up to a room and called in abunch of doctors. They began to work almost seconds later. Two other nurses walked over to Duo and Heero.  
  
"You two look pretty busted up, come in here and let me take a look at you" the nurse said.  
  
Heero handed Trowa the ruby and followed Duo and the nurse into a room.  
  
"What happened to you?" she asked.  
  
"We went to the cave of Hades" Heero said and sat on the table next to Duo.  
  
"Really? no one ever goes there and the people who have gone there have never returned. So I seriously dont believe you" She said.  
  
"Well you can believe what you want to but its the truth" Heero answered.  
  
Afew hours later the doctors came out of the room where Jennifer was and walked over to the patched up boys.  
  
"Well we've sedated her and shes sleeping" the docor said.  
  
"Is she giong to be okay?" Duo asked.  
  
"Its too early to tell but its amazing that she survived a beating like that. Do you know who did this to her?"  
  
"A G-" Duo started to say but was edged in the ribs by Heero.  
  
"We dont know" Heero said.  
  
"Oh. Well then just give her afew weeks and she'll be out of here" the doctor said and walked away.  
  
"Why did you do that heero?" Duo asked, "I have broken ribs you know!"  
  
"Because he would think you were mentally ill if you told him what really happened and he wouldnt have believed us anyways" Heero answered.  
  
"Like he already wouldnt think the boy was mentally ill" Wufei muttered. "Duo turned around and gave him a sour look.  
  
"Well lets go to your hotel for a while cause shes not going towake up for a while" Trowa said and got up. All five boys piled out of the hospital.  
  
They caught a taxi and drove back to the hotel. After they got into the room everyone sat in silence. Duo went into the bathroom.  
  
"So, what should we do now?" Trowa asked.  
  
"What can we do? we're stuck here until the doctors release Jennifer from the hospital" Quatre answered.  
  
"Duo is too quite" Wufei but in.  
  
"Well how would you be if your girlfriend was staring death in the eyes? wouldnt you be worried sick?" Quatre gave Wufei a look.  
  
Duo came out of the bathroom, grabbed his coat and walked out of the hotel. All the boys stared at the door which he had just went through as if he was a ghost.  
  
"What just happened?" Heero said.  
  
"Duo just walked out" Wufei answered, still staring at the door. Heero ran out after him.  
  
"Duo wait!" Heero called. Duo stopped in the street and turned around. "Where are you going?" he asked.  
  
"Back to the hospital" Duo said.  
  
"Why? whats the purpose? shes sleeping."  
  
"I just want to be by her."  
  
"Oh. Well then i'll see you later" Heero said and headed back toward the hotel.  
  
"So? Where is he going?" Wufei asked as Heero walked back into the room.  
  
"He's going back to the hospital" Heero answered.  
  
"That makes sense" Trowa said. "Since his girlfriend is lying in that bed so helpless he probably feels that he needs to protect her. She probably looks so fragile to him."  
  
A silence swept over the room and they stared at something other than themselves.  
  
Duo finally found his way back to the hospital and made his way up to her room.  
  
"I'm sorry sir but you cant go in there" A nurse stopped him. "This is the intensive care unit"  
  
"But my girlfriend is in there" he said.  
  
"Well im sorry but you cant go in there."  
  
"Get out of my way God damn it!!" he yelled and pushed his way through into the room.  
  
"Security!!" the nurse screamed and ran down the hall.  
  
Duo walked over to Jennifer's unconscious body and sat down in a seat by her bed. He looked at her. The room was so silent that he could hear her breathe.  
  
"Hey girl," he said in a soft voice. "i know you cant hear me but...I still want to be here. Look at the mess youve gotten yourself into. I told you not to go but you did. And now you might die. Just seeing you like this... all bed raggled and hooked up to every machine they could possibly get you on...hurts." Duo's eyes welled up with tears. "It hurts me to see you like this. Right now i just want to take all your pain away from you. I wantto switch places so that its me lying there and not you." He heard the nurse again.  
  
"He's in there" she said. She opened the door and a security officer walked in.  
  
"Sir you have to leave now" one of the men said.  
  
"Duo looked blankly at him and returned his gaze to Jennifer.  
  
"Sir." The officer grabbed duo's arm but he jerked loose. The ma grabbed both of Duo's arms and pulled him up. Duo struggled to break free but realized that there was no way that he was going to over power the man. but he kept fighting. The officer managed to get him out of the room. He let Duo go. Duo turned away from the man for afew seconds and turned around and looked into the officers eyes, an expression of anger oh his face but also a look of saddness which went along with the tears that were running down his cheeks. He didnt want to cry in front of the man but he couldnt hold it back any more. Duo's knees collapsed under him and he fell to the floor. He looked down and cried. The officer looked at Duo for a second then into the room at Jennifer.  
  
"Is that you sister son?" The man asked. Duo shook his head.  
  
"My Girlfriend" he said in a low voice. "And I dont see anything wrong wanting to see her!" he stood up and looked at the man straight in the eye.  
  
"This is the intensive care unit son you cant be in there."  
  
"And why not?!" Duo yelled.  
  
"She needs to be watched over by the nurse and you will just get in the way son."  
  
"Stop calling me son!! im not related to you, you fat friek!" he pulled a gun out of his pocket and pointed it right between the officer's eyes.  
  
"Allright come on kid you dont want to do that, give me the gun." The officer put his hands up as if he was surrendering.  
  
"No. Back up!" The officer backed up slowly. "You too bitch!" He pointed the gun at the nurse and motioned her to go over to where the man was standing. He walked back into the room and un plugged her from all the machines and lifted her off the bed. He walked over to the window and opened it.  
  
"It would be safer to go out of the window." he said to himself. He set her back down on the bed and went over to the telephone. He called Quatre and told him to pick him up in the hellocopter at her window. Duo walked out to see if his hostages were still there which they were. He took out her folder and pulled all the informaton out of it.  
  
"What are you doing?!" the nurse asked.  
  
"Just taking her files."  
  
"You cant do that! that belongs to the hospital and your not allowed to touch it!"  
  
"Im in charge here! so shut up!" He walked back into the room and waited for thehellocopter to come.  
  
Within afew minutes Quatre pulled up alongside the building. Duo picked Jennifer up and jumped into the hellocopter.  
  
"What are you doing?!" Quatre shouted as soon as he got into the hellocopter.  
  
"Im taking her back to the house."  
  
"Well we need to stop by the hotel and get our things first" Heero said. "Head back to the hotel, you can land on the roof!" he instructed.  
  
Chapter- 10 Staring Death in the face  
  
Without much haste Quatre immediatly obeyed Heero's order and flew towards the hotel.  
  
"Duo you stay here with her and Trowa and I will go and get the equipment" Heero said. Duo nodded his head slightly and returned his gaze his girlfriend's bruised face.  
  
"Theres the hotel" Trowa said and moved toward the door. Quatre landed the chopper on the roof and the two boys hopped out.  
  
"I thought we left all the equipment back at the cave" Trowa asked Heero while they ran down the stairs.  
  
"Nope, that stuff is in the chopper, we just need to get everything else and would you go check us out of the hotel?"  
  
"Sure. I'll meet you back on the roof in a bit" Trowa said and ran alittle faster and passed Heero.  
  
A short while later Heero made it to the room, out of breath and tired. He unlocked it and scavenged around the room for the important things. He shoved everything into one suitcase and headed back up the several flights of stairs. He looked down the center of the stair well and saw Trowa running up.  
  
"How come your so fast?!" Heero joked.  
  
"I've got longer legs than you and your just out of shape!" he answerd.  
  
"Hurry up Heero!" Wufei called down to them.  
  
"You try running up all these stairs and see how long it takes you!!" Heero yelled.  
  
Within afew minutes Trowa and Heero had reached the roof and were heading back to Quatre's home. Duo sat in a corner with Jennifer in his rocking back and forth.  
  
"I'm sorry" he whispered. She opened her eyes slightly to look at him. He looked at her and started to smile.  
  
"Hey guys she opened her eyes!" He exlaimed. Then her body fell limp in his arms and she stopped breathing.  
  
"Jennifer? Jennifer! She stopped breathing!!" He screeched. "Someone do something!! Heero!!"  
  
Heero moved over to Duo and took Jennifer out of his arms and set her on the floor. He started to give her mouth to mouth resesitation. In the back Trowa was holding Duo back with fustration.  
  
"Duo let Heero help her" Trowa said in an aggrivated tone.  
  
"Save her dont let her go" Duo pleaded. He looked up and started to pray. "Dont take her please. Shes all I have dont take her" he said over and over again. Heero was starting to get aggrivated because she wouldnt come back but he couldnt stop because Duo would beat the fire out of him.  
  
"God damn it breathe!" he shouted and started to pound on her chest with his fist. "Breathe!" Duo got away from Trowa's grip and pushed Heero to the side and started to give her mouth to mouth.  
  
"Come on baby breathe" he said while pushing on her chest.  
  
"Thats enough Duo, shes gone" Wufei said and put a hand on his shoulder. Duo quickly brushed it away and started to pound on her chest again, more fiercly that Heero did.  
  
"Damnit bitch breathe!!" he pounded her again but then stopped and bent over her body and sobbed. "Breathe" he said inbetween sobs. He hit her chest one more time. Someone caughed. He sat up and looked at her.  
  
"She alive!!" Duo screamed and pulled her close. He sobbed harder and prayed some more.  
  
"It everything okay back there?!" Quatre shouted from the front.  
  
"Yeah everythings fine but could you hurry up she needs a doctor!" Heero shouted back.  
  
"No worries! the house is right there and I called my personal doctor and hes probably already there! So sit back for afew minutes!"  
  
"Did you hear that Duo?" Heero said. "We're home!"  
  
Duo let out a sigh of relief and kised Jennifer's forehead.  
  
Within 30 minutes they were home and Quatre's doctor was looking after Jennifer. The ex gundam pilots were sitting in the living room drinking coffee. A silence hung over them.  
  
"When a boy who has much to say says nothing, somethings the matter" Wufei said, breaking the silence. Duo just looked at him. "Aw come on lighten up Duo! the girls going to be fine!" He said. Duo got up and went to the bathroom. He stood with his hands on the sink, looking at his reflection. His face was pale and he had purple bags of sleep below his eyes. The expression on his face was solem. He was tired but could not possibly sleep one wink, not now with his girlfriend in such sad shape. What am I doing? he thought. I almost got her killed.  
  
"Duo you can see her now" the doctor interrupted his thoughts. He unlocked the door and walked out.  
  
"Doctor wait" Duo said and grabbed his arm.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Um when do you think she'll be able to get out of bed?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I mean when will she be all better?"  
  
"Well she has afew broken bones and her leg is dislocated- its going to be afew monthe before she will be her old self again. I'm going to wait for her to gain consciousness before I put her leg back into place. You can go see her, shes wrapped up like a little mummy" The doctor smiled and left. Duo headed towards her room. They had put her in the master bedroom instead of her own. It was a huge room with wooden planked walls and red things all around. The bed was a king size canopy made of dark brown wood with red sheets and drapes that hung from the canopy. There was a huge fire place with gold plates on the mantle. There was endless medical equipment scattered everywhere. There were machines with tubes and things hooked up to Jennifer and tables with needles and bottles of medicines and ointments. Duo walked in and stopped. He took a look around. The place smelled like cedar.  
  
"Man I totally got tricked out of a good room" he put his hands on his hips and looked over in Jennifer's direction. He laughed. Sure enough she was entirely wrapped in white bandages The only things that werent covered were her hands, feet and head. She opened her eyes and watched him walk over and sit in the chair by her bed.  
  
"Hey gorgious" he smiled, "How are you feelin?"  
  
"Like shit, and my chest hurts really bad." Duo's expression turned into a frown.  
  
"You almost died today" he said.  
  
"I did."  
  
"Yes and we had to give you that mouth to mouth thing. So we pounded on you chest to get you to breathe."  
  
"Who did?"  
  
"Me and Heero."  
  
"oh okay."  
  
"You know you scared the hell out of me" Duo said. "I havent been that scared since the first war."  
  
"Im sorry Duo, I guess it was a bad idea to take this job. but your dream came true sort of. I died But now Im not."  
  
"You look like a mummy in al those bandages" Duo giggled.  
  
"Oh Duo it was so amazing"  
  
"What was?"  
  
"I went to heaven!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"First I saw a bright light and I kind of floated to it. Then I saw a whole bunch of clouds and a huge gate. I walked over to the gates and saw people and there was one standing next to me. He was wearing all white and he talked to me."  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"He said that it wasnt my time to go there yet."  
  
"You talked to an angel?"  
  
"I guess he must have been."  
  
"Duo fell silent and tears started to well in his big blue eyes. She looked over at him.  
  
"Oh Duo-"  
  
"Im sorry but-" he bent over the side of the bed and cried.  
  
"Its okay Duo Im going to be fine."  
  
"The doctor said that its gonna take afew monthe before you will be able to get out of bed acuse he still has to set your leg" Duo looked up at her. She held his cheek in her hand and said "Dont worry everything will be fine. Get up here."  
  
Duo obeyed and got up beside her and soon fell asleep.  
  
The next morning the doctor came back early.  
  
"How is my patient today?" he asked.  
  
"Fine" Jennifer answered.  
  
"Lets hope you are because I am going to set you leg."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Yes if I wait any longer it will start to heal the way it is now and you and I both dont want that to happen. Allright I need you to grab that triangle hanging above your head with both hands. I am going to pull on your leg and I need you to pull away from me understand?"  
  
"Uh huh" Jennifer shook her head.  
  
Duo looked up at the doctor "Whats going on?" he asked with yawn.  
  
"why dont you go to bed in our room Duo this might be loud" Doctor Adams suggested.  
  
"Why?" Jennifer asked.  
  
"Because your going to scream" Dr. Adams said and uncovered her dislocated leg.  
  
"Nah I'll watch" Duo said and took a seat in the chair.  
  
"Alright here we go. on the count of three you pull you body away from me" Adams said. "1...2...3!"  
  
Adams pulled on Jennifer's leg harder than she could pull.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed. She made Duo jump right out of his chair and the other boys came to see what was wrong.  
  
Finally Adams pulled her leg one way and it fell backinto place. Sh let go of the triangle and landed on the bed with a thud.  
  
"Whoa!" Jennifer shouted. "That hurt!"  
  
"I'll bet" Duo said as he stood up, rubbing is head.  
  
"Oopps Sorry about that" she said.  
  
"Well theres no trouble here" Wufei said and left the room followed by the others.  
  
"Well thats done, I'll just give you some pain killers to knock you out. But Im afraid you wont be able to get out of bed for afew months because of all the physical therapy I am going to have to put you through" The doctor said.  
  
"Physical therapy?" Jennifer sighed, "more pain?"  
  
"You must have thought about the concequences before you went and did what you did."  
  
"Well I didnt actually plan to get this beat up" she said.  
  
"So how long do you think she will have to stay in bed for?" Duo asked.  
  
"Lets see," the doctor rubbed his chin, "I would probably say ot until around christmas time."  
  
"Christmas??" Her jaw dropped. "But thats too long to be bed ridden! Its just not fair!"  
  
"Lifes not fair honey" Duo snickered.  
  
"I swear Duo when I get up I will kick you in the head!" She tried to get up from the bed but fell back down.  
  
"I wouldnt worry about him right now, just concentrate on getting better" Dr. Adams inquired. "Well I believe my work is done here for the day, I shall be back within the week to start your physical therapy, so I'll see you then Jennifer" The doctor walked out of the room without another word and out of the castle.  
  
"It's August, September, October, November, and December, four months of rest! god that sucks! these are going to be the most boring months of my life!"  
  
"Look at it this way, you will get the best rest of your life! you can sleep all the time and not worry about anything youll be pampered for 4 months! these will be the best months of your life!" Duo exclaimed.  
  
"Shut up." "Oh great."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I have to pee."  
  
"Umm." "I guess I should carry you to the bathroom or something."  
  
"Go get the nurses."  
  
"Allright" Duo headed out of the room to find the nurses that had been left to take care of Jennifer.  
  
Chapter 11 Recovery  
  
It took four months to get the entire household back to normal. Even in December, things were still alittle crazy but the sound and feel of christmas lifted tensions between the boys. And after four months of physical therapy Jennifer was ready to give everything up to get out of bed and walk again.  
  
"You know, after all that sitting in bed I think she might have gotten spoiled and snobbish from being pampered" Trowa stated while helping Wufei hang up Christmas decorations around the fireplace.  
  
"Maybe so, but I hope not, she is already mean enough."  
  
"Only to you."  
  
"She was mean to you too Trowa" Quatre interrupted.  
  
"I love Christmas" he said and looked out the window, "I only wish it would snow sometime."  
  
"It will, we are up north arent we?" Wufei asked.  
  
"And you know what that means" Heero said, walking in with a cup of coffee in one hand and the paper in the other.  
  
"What?" Quatre looked at him in confusion.  
  
"Relena will be over here alot trying to show her christmas spirit."  
  
"Oh great, as if we didnt have our hands full with one girl, another comes in, followed by all the others" Wufei said with a sour look.  
  
"Wheres Duo?" Trowa asked.  
  
" The same place he always is" Heero answered, "In there ." he pointed toward Jennifer's room.  
  
"Well wouldnt you do the same if it was your girlfriend in there?" the blonde asked. Heero fell silent and sat down.  
  
"Im tired of staring at the same walls and scenery, I want to get up for once in my life. All this bed rest is making me fat" Jennifer stared blankly out the window. "Ive memorized everything out there."  
  
"Your not fat" Duo spat.  
  
"Look at me!" a look of hopelessness swept over her face and she fell silent. "I cant take this anymore! Im gonna stand up."  
  
"The doctor says your not ready! you will hurt your self!" Duo cried.  
  
"I feel fine!" she grabbed the bar that hung over her head and pulled herself to the edge of the bed. She looked at Duo, "you will catch me right?"  
  
Duo shook his head and watched. She positioned herself on the edge of the bed. Sliding off the bed, Duo jumped and wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"Duo, you can let go"she assured him. "Its gonna be like learning how to walk again. Just watch me ok?" Duo shook his head again. She took a step and stumbled and Duo was at her side once more, with his arms around her. She shot him a look and he slowly let go of her. Jennifer walked stiffly to to the door and grabbed the knob. Her legs felt against her as she opened the door. All the eyes in the room fell on the person that they hadnt seen in such a long time. She stared at all of them with a satisfied look on her face. The boys stared wide eyed at her as she walked over to the couch and slumped on it next to Heero.  
  
"Hi guys, watcha doin?" she asked.  
  
"I dont think you should be out of bed" Quatre being his concerned self said in disbelief.  
  
"You try lying in bed for several months, it does a number on you, believe me."  
  
"Well since your up and at 'em, you might as well start getting your strength back. And you should work on building back your muscles because you look kind of shabby" Wufei insisted. Jennifer shot him a look and he shut up.  
  
"I didnt know you cared Wufei" she said, "What do you suggest I do to get my muscles back?"  
  
"Well um...I think swimming would do best because you dont have to worry about falling..."  
  
"Ok then, you wanna help me?" she asked.  
  
"Um I-I- guess I will help you" wufei stuttered. He put his head down and sighed.  
  
"OK! first im gonna get something real good to eat then ill get a suit and we will head to the pool."  
  
Heero walked into the room where Jennifer had been staying to find Duo sitting on the floor staring off into space.  
  
"Duo? you ok?" he asked and put a hand on Duo's shoulder snapping him up.  
  
"Huh? oh um yeah, i guess.." Heero pulled his head back in wonder.  
  
"You look kinda stressed to me" he sat down next to Duo.  
  
"Hmn."  
  
"Wufei is gonna go swimming with her, I think you should go too."  
  
"Hmn?"  
  
"Duo, are you listening to me?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Well get on your swim suit and go in there and releave poor wufei of your duty. Dhe is after all your girlfriend, and your not doing any good to her sitting on the floor gazing into space."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Well get in there then."  
  
Duo walked up to the door of the indoor, inground pool that Quatre had and watched Jennifer get into the water with the help of Wufei. He stood there in his hiding place for a while watching her swim around. He finally built up the courage to walk out from behind the door. He walked in, trying to look natural. The two in the pool stopped splashing and laughing and looked at Duo.  
  
"Wufei, I think ill take it from here."  
  
"Sure thing" Wufei said and got out of the pool. He draped a towel around himself and walked out.  
  
Duo slipped into the cool water with the same stone like face on.  
  
"Hey Duo." He didnt say anything, but continued to look at her. "Oh please Duo, dont look at me like that, i feel like you are looking through me."  
  
He swam up to her and gave her a big hug.  
  
"Oh Duo." Jennifer hugged him back.  
  
"You have no idea what this has done to me" he said finally pulling away from her.  
  
"Yes I do, all too well."  
  
"You could have died."  
  
"I know that, but i didnt die, i lived. Everything is going to be just fine."  
  
He swam away alittle, admiring her bright yellow one piece bathing suit.  
  
"Ive really missed you Jen."  
  
"I know Duo, and ive missed you too, so much. But now we can live again, and no more seriously dangerous jobs like that one again."  
  
Duo swam back over to her and hugged her again. He started to sob nonstop.  
  
"We will be just fine." She pulled him away from her to look into his eyes. "You believe me?"  
  
He smiled and nodded his head.  
  
"BONZAI!!!"Wufei screamed.  
  
Jen and Duo turned around to see Wufei and the others running toward the pool whooping and hollering. They all jumped into the pool around the two.  
  
"Well its good to see you smile again you braided baka" Heero said with a smile.  
  
"Oh shut up He-chan" Duo splashed Heero in the face and they all broke out splashing eachother like mad. Duo pulled Jennifer away from the group and pulled her close.  
  
"Ya know, i think you are right-" he was interrupted by a screeching voice and several others.  
  
"HEERO!" Relena yelled from the doorway. He stopped short and stared at her and all the girls behind her.  
  
"Re-relena?" he stammered.  
  
"Where have you been all this time?!" she cried and jumped into the pool and swam to him and wrapped her arms around. The other girls did the same to each one of the guys. Hilde ran to Wufei though and he pushed her away. They all started the splashing frenzy again but this time Heero was swimming away from Relena screaming "Get away from me!!" Wufei did the same, swimming frantically away from Hilde, who was swimming after him shouting "Wufei!!"  
  
"Well as I was saying," Duo continued, " I think you are right, we will get to live now, cuz you wont be doing anymore theiving while you are with me!" he dunked her under the water and pulled her back up.  
  
"Duo!"she pushed him away but he came for her again. Duo managed to get his arms around her waist and pulled her in and kissed her. It was interrupted by splashed of water plowing into their faces by the other guys. Duo and Jen retaliated by splashing back and the group sat there in the pool splashing eachother and all the water out of the pool for a while. 


End file.
